Chapter Four - The Authority of Ellen White’s Writings

Alberto R. Timm

Seventh-day Adventists believe that Ellen White’s prophetic writings are “a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction.” ^{1Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual (Washington, DC: General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1981), 39, 40; see also Gerhard Pfandl, “Authority of Ellen G. White and Her Writings,” in The Ellen G. White Encyclopedia, eds. Denis Fortin and Jerry Moon (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald®, 2013), 627-629.} But some individuals have proposed alternative views, trying either to diminish or to increase the “authoritative” nature and function of her writings. The diminishing trend includes those who deny completely her prophetic authority, ^{2E.g., D. M. Canright, Life of Mrs. E. G. White, Seventh-day Adventist Prophet: Her False Claims Refuted (Cincinnati: Standard Publishing, 1919); Walter T. Rea, The White Lie (Turlock, CA: M & R Publications, 1982).} as well as those who lower it to the level of formative authority, ^{3 “But the point is that our Millerite ancestors and their heirs [including Ellen White] were convinced from their study [of Daniel 8:14] that 1843-1844 was the time, and it is more important what they believed and what they did about it than what Daniel had in mind. The issue is resolved by history rather than by exegesis!” Jack W. Provonsha, A Remnant in Crisis (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald®, 1993), 133, 135; italics in the original.} “pastoral admonition,” and “spiritual insight.” ^{4Desmond Ford, Daniel 8:14, the Day of Atonement, and the Investigative Judgment (Casselberry, FL: Euangelion, 1980), 379.} On the other side are those who even attribute canonical status to her writings. ^{5 David Paulson wrote in 1906 to Ellen G. White: “I was led to conclude and most firmly believe that every word that you ever spoke in public or private, that every letter you wrote under any and all circumstances, was as inspired as the Ten Commandments.” Quoted in Ellen G. White [EGW], Selected Messages (Washington, DC: Review and Herald®, 1958), 1:24; italics in the original.} UEGW 55.1

As logical as some of those views may seem to be, they raise basic questions: If Ellen White’s prophetic authority was limited only to the “formative” period of the church, could her writings still be considered relevant for us today? If her authority is only of a “pastoral” nature, in what sense does it differ from the authority of pastors or teachers in general? If, on the other hand, she is supposed to have “canonical” status, how does this harmonize with her own principle of uplifting “the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms,” and “the Word of God as the rule of your faith and practice”? ^{6EGW, The Great Controversy (Washington, DC: Review and Herald®, 1911), 595; EGW, A Sketch of the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White (Saratoga Springs, NY: James White, 1851), 64. See also EGW, Early Writings (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald®, 2000), 78.} UEGW 55.2